Oscillating power tools are lightweight, handheld tools configured to oscillate various accessory tools and attachments, such as cutting blades, sanding discs, grinding tools, and many others. Accessory tools enable an oscillating power tool to be used to perform a wide variety of tasks from cutting woods and metals to polishing and grinding stone and masonry. Each accessory tool, however, typically is configured to perform only certain types of tasks on certain types of materials.
For example, cutting accessory tools for an oscillating tool typically have a mounting portion that secures the accessory tool to an oscillating drive of the oscillating tool and a blade portion that extends generally forwardly from the mounting portion. The leading edge of the blade portion typically serves as the cutting edge for the accessory tool and is often serrated form cutting teeth. The dimensions and geometry of the blade portion and the cutting teeth are varied from accessory tool to accessory tool for cutting different kinds of materials and/or making different kinds of cuts.
Because the cutting edge is provided on the leading edge of the accessory tool, cutting operations are performed by “push cutting” in which the leading cutting edge is moved generally forwardly to engage the material to be cut. In some cases, however, there may not be enough room to position the cutting edge and/or maneuver the oscillating tool for push cutting. In addition, push cutting is effective for cutting materials that are hard enough to withstand the applied force without flexing or buckling, such as most woods and metals. Push cutting, however, is difficult to perform in flexible materials, such as carpet, plastic, cardboard, asphalt shingles, and the like, because they can flex and buckle in response to an applied force. Flexible materials, such as these, must typically be held taut while they are being cut which is difficult to do while push cutting.
In addition, a serrated cutting edge performs cuts generally by ripping the cutting teeth through the material that is being cut which allows cuts to be performed in harder materials, such as woods and metals, without requiring much force. A serrated cutting edge, however, is generally ineffective for performing cuts in flexible, soft, and/or easily breakable materials, such as carpet, plastic, cardboard, asphalt shingles, vinyl tile, drywall, and the like, because ripping the cutting teeth through these materials can result in frayed edges, shredding, and breaking.
What is needed is a cutting accessory tool for an oscillating power tool, that has a cutting edge that enables precise, controlled cuts to be performed in materials, such as carpet, plastic, cardboard, asphalt shingles, vinyl tile, drywall, and the like, and that enables these cuts to be performed by pulling the cutting edge of the accessory tool through the material that is being cut.